


hey lover, won't you treat me right

by azo_dye



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cas hates Tinder, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, spaghetti dinners, we all hate Tinder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24785689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azo_dye/pseuds/azo_dye
Summary: Cas has been having some trouble with his dating life lately. Dean makes dinner.
Relationships: Castiel (Supernatural)/Other(s), Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 3
Kudos: 71





	hey lover, won't you treat me right

“Hey, are you still going out tonight with that guy you’ve been talking to?”

Cas looked up from his book. He had been pointedly told that he wasn’t allowed to help with dinner and was sent to read in the living room to ‘stay out of the way and keep Dean company’. Dean was referring to the latest guy Cas had met through online dating, and the latest reason for Cas feeling vaguely guilty about not reciprocating feelings. “Oh, no. I told him I just wanted to be friends.” He frowned, “Don’t put too much tomato in it!”

Dean huffed and waved him off. No one told Dean how to cook, especially something that he’d made a thousand times from scratch. “You didn’t even give him a chance, Cas.”

Cas shrugged,” He was... annoying to say the least. He texted too much. The happiest I was with him was when he was ignoring me or busy.”

“Well, did you tell him that?”

“No, but I know the worst thing is feeling like you’re annoying someone you like, and I didn’t want to put him through that. I texted him last night.” Cas went back to his book. It was one thing to talk about his love life with his best friend and roommate. It was quite another to dive deep into his deep-rooted issue with finding a suitable replacement for... someone he actually wanted. 

Especially when that person was currently making spaghetti four feet from him.

“And how did he respond?” Dean asked, staring hard at the vegetable he was dicing. 

Cas lowered the book again. “Well, he... hasn’t answered yet.” 

Dean looked up from where he was cutting a final tomato with a universal ‘yikes’ expression. It was an unfortunate end to his brief relationship with Patrick, but it had to be said. He’d rather Patrick think he was a bastard now, than lead him on and have Patrick assume they were headed towards mutual love and affection.

“So anyway, I have to assume that he doesn’t really want to be friends then.”

“Hey, Cas, don’t take it too hard. He’s missing out.”

Cas considered, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m not... sad, or anything.”

Dean chuckled. “Heh. Ouch. Tough break for him.”

Cas shrugged, turning back to watch Dean work. 

Dean gathered all his chopped vegetables together in a neat pile on the cutting board and transferred them to the pot where he was making sauce in a neat flourish, evident of all the times Dean had been in charge of home-cooked meals. “What was so bad about this guy? Did he smell? Ask you to make a blood pact? 

Cas looked away from the tantalizing sight of Dean’s hands. “No, he... wanted to cook me dinner.”

Dean looked up from the pot of spaghetti noodles he was now stirring. 

“Oh, you’re right,” Dean said, gesturing with the pasta spoon. “Definitely a good thing you curved him. Absolute lunatic.” He bent over to take a taste of the now-simmering sauce, a soft smile on his face. 

“Well! It just... makes me uncomfortable. I mean, he could be a serial killer.” Cas grinned playfully, finally giving up on reading and marking his page to step away.

“Don’t you think if he was going to serial kill you, he’d have done it by now? He’s got a lotta ground to cover. This is LA. He’s gotta move quick if he wants to make even the slightest impression on the LAPD.” Dean nodded towards the fridge where their salad sat. Cas had insisted on a salad to go with the carbo-load that was Dean’s favorite and famous Spaghetti Night. It was a rare thing for Dean to allow so much green at a meal, but Cas was always somehow able to convince him.

“I dunno,” Cas pulled out the salad and turned to the cupboard to start gathering plates. He placed a healthy amount of salad on each, making sure to push it to the side to leave ample room for the absolute heap of pasta Dean would place on each. “He just... he texted me all the time, and he always wanted to know how I’m doing and what I’m up to, and it gets old telling him I’m doing the same old things every time. I don’t do much during the day.”

“Sure you do, yesterday you made that cool greenhouse thing out in the backyard.” Dean was referring to the monstrosity built out of thrifted window panes in the far corner of the yard. Cas had seen the idea online on Friday, and by Saturday was cruising through every yard sale and thrift store in the county looking for windows. The frame was easy to put together once Dean had gotten the drill sorted out. It wasn’t much, but now Cas had a great place to put some of the many plants they had around the house.

Cas shrugged. “Right, but I can’t tell him that. He wouldn’t care, and then I’d have to explain every piece of why we needed one and he wouldn’t want to hear that story.”

“Look, I’m not saying you didn’t do the right thing by being honest with him, but it just sounds like maybe you didn’t like him all that much in the first place if you’re able to be so casual about it.”

“I know,” Cas sighed. “I’ve gotta stop doing this to guys. Before him it was Nate, and Collin. I’m a mess.”

Dean spooned a frankly frightening amount of pasta on a plate. “Nah, you’re not a mess, just a bit careless with your dirty socks. You wanna try some sauce or just butter?”

“No, I’ll try it. You worked so hard on it. A little bit of sauce, please. Not too much.” 

Dean smiled and rolled his eyes, dripping the perfect amount of homemade marinara on top of the pile of spaghetti. They sat down to eat and Cas twirled his fork in the noodles. The sauce was great. While the base was tomato, it wasn’t overwhelming or acidic like tomato can get in inexperienced hands. Garlic and mushroom had space in the sauce as well, making it perfectly well-balanced. 

Cas stood up. “I’m getting some more sauce, this is really good, Dean.” 

“Thank you, pickiest eater in the world. That is a compliment far greater than you know.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes. 

Dean piped up with his mouth full. “So, like, what—are you just gonna chalk it up as a loss and move on or what?”

Cas shook his head. “I’m deleting the app, I can’t keep doing this to people when it only serves to piss me off and disappoint other people.”

Silence fell again for a brief moment. “Have you considered maybe it’s not you?”

“Thank you, Dean, but scientifically speaking, it has to be me. I’m the only constant in this string of nearly identical outcomes.” Not much else could explain it. Cas was just... bad at love. Bad at being in a relationship. Bad at getting on with his life.

“Maybe you just need to date better people. Maybe... people you already know?”

Snorting, Cas scooped up the last on his pasta. “Come on, everyone we know that’d be even sort of willing to put with me are already married, have kids, or both.”

“Well, not everyone...” Dean muttered, mostly to himself. 

Cas chewed thoughtfully. “I think I just gotta face facts. I’m not built for relationships.” 

“Kinda lonely outlook.” Dean wasn’t wrong. They were renting the house together, but that could easily change once Dean found a nice girl or boy or... person to settle down with. He was a good looking guy, good with his hands, nice laugh—it wouldn’t be hard for him at all. Cas could very easily be alone, very easily. 

Cas shrugged. “A fact’s a fact. It happens. People grow up and just... never find love. I mean, it’s kinda sad but... I’ve got other things in my life.” That was less true. For all that Dean and Cas got along and had in common, he never understood why Dean was alone and chose to hang out with him so often.

Dean snorted. “I don’t know how much a roommate in a shitty starter home counts for, Cas. 

“Well, maybe my purpose here is to make sure that roommate is happy then, yeah?” Cas picked up his dish and set it in the sink. He kept his attention towards the sink, concentrating on filling it with soap and water so he didn’t have to see Dean’s face of pity. He wasn’t sad about it. Not really. 

Well, he would probably end up being okay. 

Dean pushed back from the table to set his dish in the water by Cas’s hand. He busied himself with the leftover pasta on the stove, pulling a plastic container from the cupboard above the range. Dean would probably insist Cas take it for lunch tomorrow. 

“Well, what if the roommate wants something specific to make him happy?” Dean asked, sounding strangely formal. 

Cas blinked and turned towards Dean, surprised to see him flushed to the tips of his ears. He squinted. 

“What does the roommate want?” 

If possible, Dean blushed even harder and ducked his head. How curious. Cas felt a strange tingle in his palms. He had a sudden vision of pressing in close and watching Dean take a surprised breath. He shook his head slightly. 

“He—I— uh, heh. A beer is what he wants.” Dean said, face brightening in a way that made Cas squint harder on suspicion. Pasta container in hand, Dean switched around Cas, hiding the fridge for a second. He emerged having swapped the plastic container for two beers, one of which he offered to Cas. Hands still wet, Cas gestured for Dean to sit the bottle down to the side of the sink. Dean popped his open, took a swig, and set it down next to Cas’s beer. He picked up a dish towel and got to drying. Together, they steadily and silently cleared the table and counter of all the dishes, leaving their little kitchen tidy once again. 

Afterwards, Dean plucked his beer from the counter and took another sip. Cas cracked the lid off of his and did the same. He leaned against the sink and tilted his head as he considered Dean. He was still a bit pink and he wasn’t looking at Cas... or anything really in particular. 

“Dean... are you feeling alright?” He almost looked nervous. 

Dean blinked. “Huh? Oh yeah, just... thinkin’.”

“Careful with that.” Cas teased. 

Deans mouth quirked up in a half smile before falling back to his thoughtful expression. 

“Cas, you really think you’re gonna end up alone?”

Oh. Dean was worried he’d have to be saddled with Cas forever. “I dunno. I’m mostly over-dramatic. It’s not looking good right now, though. Kind of a downer.”

“But I mean, you’re young still. Plenty of time to settle down with someone.” Shit, he really did look worried. Maybe he was worried about his own prospects, being single at their age as well.

“Dean, if you’re secretly worried about yourself we can go to a bar or something. I’m not overly concerned about it—“

Dean wasn’t done and talked over him. “And you’re a great guy, you’re smart and funny and... you’ve got nice hair,” Dean finished haltingly. “I just think you’re selling yourself a bit short is all.”

Cas blinked, feeling a slight flush on his cheeks. “Well, thanks but I think the real issue is more with my shockingly horrendous commitment issues and all that.”

They drank in silence, steadily ignoring the other. All this silence tonight was starting to get deafening in Cas’s professional opinion. He was about to open his mouth and change the subject when Dean did just that. “Did this guy... what’s his name?”

“Patrick.”

“Did Patrick ever kiss you?” This question caused Cas to pause. It was an innocent enough question, but the way Dean asked—anxious eyes, and twitchy fingers—like he didn’t really want to ask but was dying to know. 

Cas had to tread carefully here, as to not pull too quickly. He might be unsure with guys he met online, but it there was one man he’d climb like a tree with no second thoughts or regrets, it was the one standing in front of him, distractedly shredding the artisanal label off his beer bottle. 

“Oh I’d never let him get the chance. Too weird.” He silently dared Dean to call his bluff. 

Dean sighed and looked up at Cas, expression guarded. He set his beer down on the table behind him and took a step towards Cas. The tingle in his palms kicked up, spreading up his arms and across his chest, flooding up his neck and to his ears. 

“And you know, right away? Who you’d like to kiss?” Dean asked like there was any possible way Cas would turn him down. 

“I—definitely. I know within the first half hour of meeting someone if I’d like to—like to kiss them.” Even Cas was stumbling now. He didn’t dare move and shatter this strange, wonderful moment. 

Dean was close now. Close enough to see the apprehension in his eyes and catch the subtle tremble in his fingers, hanging loose by his sides. 

“Does that feeling ever change?” 

“No, once it’s there, it’s all I can think about.” Cas’s gaze tripped between Dean’s mouth and his eyes. Everything was buzzing now. He still wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but he knew things weren’t like this with Patrick. Or Nate. Or anyone else he had been on a date with. 

It was special for Dean. 

Their chests were nearly touching now. Dean was so close. The heat coming off him was incredible, and Cas wanted nothing more than to get closer. 

“Me too,” Dean murmured. “Once I want to kiss someone, it’s all I can think about, too.” 

Cas often though about how green Dean’s eyes were, sometimes annoyingly and distractedly often, but now that they were boring into his, it was hard to think about anything else. 

Except maybe his mouth. Or his hands, slowly coming up. Shit, this was going exactly where he thought it was. Right here in their shared kitchen. 

“I’m gonna kiss you, Cas,” Dean said, drawing in a breath. “And if it’s not what you want, we can pretend it never happened. I won’t make it weird, I promise. I just have to—“

Cas pushed up to press his mouth against Dean’s, hands coming up to fit along his jaw. He watched Dean’s eyes flutter shut before closing his own. Dean gripped his t-shirt before sliding his hands around and up his back. Their lips moved together, pulling and giving back, wet heat between them. He pulled back after a second, an audible smack when they parted. 

“I don’t want to push too far—“

“Dean Winchester, kiss me again. Please. It’s good.”

Dean grinned and yanked him back in by his collar, pressing him back into the counter. Cas felt the frenzy build, and he pushed his tongue into Dean’s mouth. Dean sucked on the tip of it, before reaching up to press thumbs to the bolt of Cas’s jaw, opening it further. Cas reached down and slipped his fingers back down into Dean’s back pockets, hauling him closer. 

When they finally had to surface for air, they were both grinning. 

“That wasn’t weird, right?” Dean had the audacity to ask, breathlessly. 

“Definitely weird.” Cas answered, cheekily. 

“You’re not gonna ask to be just friends later, right?” Dean sounded like he was mostly kidding but with a touch of real anxiety behind it. 

“No, but suddenly it makes sense why everyone else didn’t compare.” Cas said, pressing a smooch to the side of Dean’s jaw. “You’re not just doing this because you feel bad for me?” 

Dean rolled his eyes and smacked Cas on the ass. “Been wanting to do that since I met you, dummy. I’m glad we had this chance to finally straighten out that I’m the only one for you.” 

“Yeah, probably.” Cas whispered. “Wanna go make out on the couch?”

Dean smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Good morning everyone! It's been a long time! I hope you've enjoyed this little piece from my notes. I'm starting work on another, longer piece after this. Stay tuned!  
> ~azo
> 
> *title from the song Hey Lover by the Daughters of Eve


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